What Ikon does

Ikon (legally trading as 'This is Ikon') is a privately held, Surry Hills-based strategic branding, marketing and design consultancy founded in 2000, with a team of approximately 10 senior creatives led in creative direction by Kate Dennis. The firm serves individuals, SMEs and large organisations seeking to connect with premium lifestyle audiences, delivering an integrated service set: brand strategy and research, visual identity, packaging, print, digital design and web development, publication and book design, signage and wayfinding, advertising campaigns, and CGI/3D rendering. Since 2021 the practice has extended into computer-generated imagery and a virtual gallery experience built on a third-party Berlin-based platform, notably used for Smartstone's Sintered Collection launch.

Revenue is generated through project-based professional services engagements priced per negotiation, with no public pricing and no platform, subscription or productized revenue line. Distribution is single-channel and direct: clients reach the studio via phone, email or website contact form, supplemented by an active Instagram presence and inbound referrals. Notable long-tenured clients include Smartstone (14-year relationship), Charter Hall, Australia Square, AARNet, Man O' War, Taronga Zoo, Colorbond Steel, Coverfields, ProvedaCare, Bonnae Gokson and Laura Stoddart, spanning real estate, stone surfaces, research and education, wine, hospitality, agriculture, healthcare, government and creative professional segments.

The firm is independently owned with no disclosed parent company, institutional investment, funding rounds or M&A activity, and operates from a single studio in Sydney with occasional projects delivered internationally (including New Zealand and Hong Kong). It holds a multi-award track record including Paris Book Festival, IBPA Benjamin Franklin, Sydney Design Awards, London Stationery Show Awards, Architectural Digest Top 20 and an Amcor innovation award, reinforcing its positioning in the premium lifestyle branding niche.

Name

Ikon

Legal name

This is Ikon

Website

https://thisisikon.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

This is Ikon is a Surry Hills-based strategic branding, marketing and design consultancy with a ~10-person senior creative team serving Australian and select international premium lifestyle brands across real estate, hospitality, wine, government, agriculture and creative-professional segments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Brand Strategy & Design Consultancy

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (54143), Advertising Agencies (541810), Indoor and Outdoor Display Advertising (541850), Industrial Design Services (541420)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Interactive & Immersive Content Production (AR/VR/3D) (BPAFAIAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Exhibition, Retail & Experiential Design (BPAHAKAL)

Keywords

• Brand strategy consulting
• Visual identity design
• Packaging design
• Web development services
• CGI rendering services

Headquarters

HQ city

Surry Hills

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Strategic Brand Consulting: Brand strategy engagements including research, insights, brand development and positioning work for individuals, SMEs and large organizations.
2. Creative Services: Visual identity design, photography and illustration art direction, print and marketing collateral, packaging design, digital design and web development.
3. Digital Marketing Services: SEO strategy, digital comms, social media management and campaign development for clients.
4. Publication Design: Book design, annual reports, and branded publication creation for clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

This is Ikon is a strategic branding, marketing and design consultancy based in Surry Hills, Sydney. It guides individuals, SMEs and large organizations to start, transform and grow businesses by developing brand strategy, visual identity, digital and web experiences, packaging, advertising campaigns, signage/wayfinding, publications, CGI/3D rendering and virtual gallery experiences targeting premium lifestyle audiences.

Product overview

This is Ikon is a strategic branding, marketing and design consultancy offering a comprehensive suite of creative services. The company operates as a single integrated consultancy rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Core service offerings include brand strategy and consulting, visual identity and design, digital design and web development, packaging design, advertising campaigns, and signage/wayfinding. Specialized capabilities include publication and book design for clients like Colorbond Steel and Bonnae Gokson, virtual gallery and 3D exhibition creation using Berlin-based technology for clients like Smartstone, and CGI/3D rendering services. The consultancy serves premium lifestyle brands across diverse industries including real estate, retail, hospitality, healthcare, and education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Brand Strategy & Consulting

Quantifiable outcome

• Love Local campaign exceeded sales targets by over 30% for Charter Hall
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Digital Transformation AgencyminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIkon partnered with a digital transformation agency for the Smartstone website project to deliver strategy through to build and launch, working alongside specialist digital marketing outfit focused on SEO.
• Digital Marketing Agency (SEO)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSpecialist digital marketing outfit partnered with Ikon for Smartstone website SEO strategy and implementation.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Pentagram: Pentagram is a globally renowned independent design firm with partners across major cities. Comparable as a broader design firm operating in visual identity, brand strategy and design, though at much larger scale and partner-led model.
• IDEO: IDEO is a global design and innovation consultancy specializing in human-centered design, brand experience and product design. Comparable as a broader design consultancy operating in adjacent creative and experience design categories at much larger scale.
• Wolff Olins: Wolff Olins is a global brand consultancy working on brand strategy, identity and experience design for major global clients. Comparable as a broader incumbent offering overlapping brand strategy and creative services, with greater geographic reach.
• Interbrand: Interbrand is a global brand consultancy offering strategy, identity design and brand experience services with offices across Australia. Comparable as a broader incumbent operating in the same brand strategy and visual identity space but at significantly larger scale.
• Landor & Fitch: Landor & Fitch is a global brand and design consultancy with deep heritage in visual identity and brand experience. Comparable as a broader incumbent offering overlapping brand strategy, identity and environment design services across multiple verticals.
• Droga5: Droga5 is a global creative agency with offices including Australia, known for brand-led creative campaigns and strategy for premium clients. Comparable as a broader creative incumbent operating in similar campaign and brand activation space but at significantly larger scale.

Direct peers

• The Royals: The Royals is an Australian independent brand and design agency working across brand strategy, identity and campaigns. Directly comparable as a boutique Australian studio serving premium lifestyle and consumer clients with a similar consultative engagement model.
• The Monkeys: The Monkeys is an Australian creative agency, now part of Accenture Song, known for brand-led creative campaigns and strategy. Comparable as an Australian creative shop working with premium brands on integrated brand, campaign and activation work.
• Hulsbosch: Hulsbosch is an Australian brand identity and design consultancy with decades of experience across corporate, retail and consumer brands. Comparable as a long-tenured boutique Australian brand design firm targeting similar premium client segments.
• Frost* Collective: Frost* Collective is an Australian independent creative agency offering brand strategy, design and content services to premium clients. Directly comparable as a Sydney-based boutique brand studio with similar size, premium positioning and integrated strategy-plus-execution model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/thisisikon_
• Xx.com/thisisikon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/this-is-ikon

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ikon